Assignment for Backlog students

Answer the questions given below the case. Each question carries equal marks.

Case Study I
Many a CEO of a Fortune 100 company thinks nothing of working 70+ hours a week or spending several days a week out of town meeting with customers, suppliers or other company executives. Workaholic tendencies are assumed to come with the job. Not so for Harry M. Jansen, Jr. CEO of Baxter International, one of the worlds largest producers of medical products. Kraemer believes that, although work is important, ones family is more important. On any given workday, you might find Kraemer staying home to take care of his infant son. Or you see him taking his daughter to school or coaching her softball. Moreover, you will rarely find Kraemer in his office later than ^:00 P.M. And he wont accept work related calls after hours- that are family time. But dont perceive this that Kraemer is not working. He works hard sometimes even upwards of 80 hours per week- but he does so at his own pace that doesnt interfere with important family matters. What Kraemer has done is create an example for employees to live by. One employee for example, David, a web designer at Baxter living nearly 50 miles from the company, works at home every Friday and every other Thursday. In doing so, he is with his family more. David believes that he gets more work done at home because no one is stopping by his office, and he is no longer distracted by home matters. Other employees in the company have similar beliefs. Has this work/life balance that Kraemer has implemented at Baxter been beneficial? That answer depends on how one defines beneficial. But consider that since this balanced work/life culture was implemented nine years ago, Baxter has hit earnings target every quarter. Baxter has nearly doubled its profit goal, with revenues and profits rising at double-digit rates, employment has grown to more than 48,000 employees, and the company has successfully acquired five major companies over a sixteen month period. Based on these performance measures, you could say that Kraemers plan has been beneficial. In addition, by allowing

employees to alter their work schedules and work at home, the organization has been able to attract top-notch employees, who in turn have generated greater productivity for the company. Questions 1. What role, if any does work/life balance play in the success of an organization? Explain. 2. How does diversity in an organization affect the organizations work/life balance? 3. What ethical considerations exist that may drive the organization to create a better work/life balance for employees? 4. Do you believe the balanced work/life plan at Baxter would work as well if the CEO were not one of its primary supporters? Explain your position.

Case Study II
For more than a decade, McDonalds was the leader in pioneering what it thought customers wanted- larger and larger portions. Although its menu had remained relatively stable, McDonalds management was always looking for ways to improve sales and fend off strong competition from the likes of Wendys and Burger King. It would also periodically add items to menu to address small changes in peoples fast food desires, but these items often met with additional competition from other fast food restaurants such as Taco Bell or even Subway. The one thing that McDonalds did to boost sales and create a marketing coup was the addition of the Supersized Meal. Starting in the early 1990s, customers at McDonalds could add to their meal an extra large soda and an extra large order of French fries by simply saying super size it. Nearly one in 10 customers took advantage of the companys offer to supersize their meal for just 39 cents. But since this expanded offering hit stores, Mc Donalds has come under fire. Public concern with the fattening of America was often focused on Mc Donalds. The companys primary products were high in fat content, high in calories and high in carbohydrates. Public pressure was mounting to the point that individuals sued McDonalds for causing physical ailments

brought about from obesity. Likened to the nicotine controversy surrounding cigarette smoking, lawyers were trying to make the connection that eating Mc Donalds food was the subject of an award winning documentary. In it, the producer chronicled his 30-day effects of eating only Mc Donalds food for all of his meals. At the end of the m month long experiment, this individual spoke of his deteriorating health due solely to eating this fast food- and the 24 pounds he gained during this time frame. Changes in public health consciousness and competitive pressures, along with this documentary film, led McDonalds to announce in March 2004 that it would eliminate all supersized offerings. Mc Donalds management claims that such action was warranted to simplify its menu offering and to promote efficiency in the organization. Additionally, McDonalds has also begun altering its menu offerings. It now offers salads as an entry meal, has reduced the fat content of its milk from 2 to 1 percent, and is attempting to promote itself as being more health conscious. McDonalds action was largely driven by the reality that its sales had plummeted, as had its stock price. Competition from health-friendly alternatives was having a major effect on the companys revenues. Mc Donalds was losing market share and something supersized option had to be done. The companys announcement of the elimination of the supersized option and of healthier substitutes is being viewed as a move that is entirely responsive to the changing market environment- something that executives at Burger King and Wendys are watching very closely. Questions 1. Explain how the environment has affected Mc Donalds plans to discontinue offering supersized meals. 2. Describe how McDonalds can use the decision to stop selling supersized meals as a competitive advantage. 3. Would you classify this action by McDonalds as a growth strategy, a stability strategy or a retrenchment strategy? Defend your choice. 4. Do you believe McDonalds was socially responsible in its activities to discontinue supersizing? Why or why not?

Assignment I
1. Describe how the president of your college fulfills the ten managerial roles identified by Henry Mintzberg. Provide specific references to actual activities by the president of your college. 2. Prepare a report on e-organizations. How successful have they been and how are they different from other organizations that are not internet based. Assignment II 1. Formal planning reduces flexibility and hinders success. Present both sides of the argument including supporting data to defend them. 2. Discuss the pros and cons of employees working on projects and reporting to several project managers. Discuss the implications of violating the chain of command principle. Cite specific examples.
**Last date of submission is 27/04/2012